AfDB’s Vanessa Moungar appointed to the French presidential council for Africa

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, has appointed Vanessa Moungar, director for gender, women and civil society of the African Development Bank (AfDB), to his presidential council for Africa. The announcement was made on 29 August 2017, at the annual Conference of Ambassadors to France held at the Elysée Palace in Paris. Moungar and 10 other members of the elite group including entrepreneurs, scientists and innovators have been appointed to advise Macron on his African policy. The Council will have direct access to Macron and will also be suggesting technical advice ahead of any presidential missions to Africa, said AfDB reporting to the press. According to the French government, the presidential council is “a tool for consultation and decision-making directly attached to the President.” Macron stressed that the council will help to find channels of discussion with this African reality that has been somewhat lost in recent years. The presidential council for Africa is expected to give a new face to the relationship between Africa and France. Moungar took charges as director of gender, women and civil society at the AfDB on 1 July 2017. Commenting on the appointment, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the AfDB, said, “I commend president Macron for establishing the presidential council on Africa, a clear testimony to his commitment to a renewed engagement with Africa, with new perspectives. His appointing young people to the council send a strong message of freshness. I am particularly delighted that Vanessa has been appointed to the Council. She brings much creativity and dynamism to our work at the Bank, and will do the same for the presidential council.”